White Bean Thyme Pot Pies Recipes

RUSTIC WHITE BEAN & THYME POT PIES

Steps:

• To a medium saucepan, add the olive oil or vegan butter. Warm over low heat. Add the onion and carrots and saute just until the onions are beginning to become translucent, 5-6 minutes.
• Add flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir constantly for three minutes, adding the garlic during the last minute.
• Slowly pour in the vegetable broth, stirring constantly. Add the beans, potatoes and thyme sprigs. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are just about fork tender, about 5 minutes. Remove thyme stems. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired, to taste.
• If adding chicken or turkey to any of the pot pies, add 1/4 cup to each ramekin.
• Divide bean filling between the four or five ramekins, carefully stirring those that have meat with a small spoon to evenly distribute.
• Cut circles of crust about 1" larger than the circumference of the ramekins. To keep track of the meat pot pies vs. the veggie pot pies, I like to use letter cookie cutters - "VEG" for veggie and, in the case of the batch I made for the blog, "CHX" for chicken. A simple V or C will work or any old shape to help you tell them apart will do! Just be sure you at least slit the top to allow for steam to escape.
• Bake 375 degrees for about 35 minutes, until the pie crust is golden brown and the filling is nice and bubbly.
• Let cool about 10 minutes before serving.

WHITE BEAN THYME POT PIES

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 400 F and arrange four 6-inch ramekins on a baking sheet.
• In a large pot, over medium heat, saute the diced onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, plus a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook 2 to 3 minutes.
• Once the onions are translucent, add the carrots and potato and a pinch more of salt and pepper.
• Add 1/4 cup of flour to the pot and stir to coat the vegetables. Add 1/2 cup of veggie broth (or dry white wine) and thoroughly combine all the ingredients, letting the flour and broth thicken a little bit. Then add the remainder of the broth.
• Add the thyme and beans and bring to a boil, reducing immediately to simmer while stirring for a few minutes. Once the filling thickens some, set the pan of filling aside, off of the heat.
• Add flour and salt to a medium mixing bowl. Mix well.
• Add the cold vegan butter to the bowl and use a pastry cutter or fork to cut the butter into the flour, until all the butter pieces are pea size or smaller and the mixture is somewhat grainy.
• Add the ice cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, gently mixing after each water addition, until a dough forms. You may not need to use all 7 tablespoons of the water. Once you form a dough, stop adding water.
• Use your hands to form a ball of dough in the bowl, getting all scraps from the side and bottom of the bowl. Place your dough on a floured surface and lightly flour a rolling pin and the top of the dough. Roll the dough out to between 1/4-inch and 1/8-inch. Add any flour as needed for rolling.
• Cut into four squares (or your number of smaller ramekins), slightly larger than the tops of your ramekins.
• Ladle the bean filling into the ramekins until they are almost full. Use a floured spatula to place the crusts on the ramekin tops.
• Use a sharp knife to cut a few vents into the center of each crust.
• Bake 30 to 45 minutes, removing the pies from the oven when the crusts have reached desired brownness. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
• The pot pies can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, bake at 350 F until bubbly.